“AH!” Closing my eyes, I could only scream as I shot the stick up, thinking it would protect me. I heard a tap, followed by the sound of something landing in the sand. Blinking my eyes open, I looked to see an arrow poking out of the sand.

“Amari!” Flare was running towards me, Ember’s sword in hand unsheathed. “I don’t know how you saw that, but stay behind me.” He stood in front of me protectively, his free hand stretched out behind him, as Kyumi took a stance next to him, her dagger in hand.

“What’s going on?” Pearl and Phoenix came running from where they had been cooking. As they reached us, something hooded came out of the tree. It was much taller than what had killed Ember. Soon enough, it was followed by another, both of them had bows and quivers hanging over their shoulders.

“Who are you and why are you here?” The first one, wearing a dark grey cloak, spoke. The voice commanding but gentle. The second one, wearing a light grey cloak, was pulling on the sleeve of the first one. “Not now Minalith!” I was still behind being guarded, but I could see a little.

“From your questions, I can assume you aren’t with it.” Phoenix spoke, raising a hand out to his side, telling everyone to put their weapons down. “We don’t want to fight, so please, camp here for the night, and we’ll explain the situation.” He seemed calm, but I could tell he was worried about fighting again so soon.

“Very well.” The first one said, pulling off it’s hood. My eyes grew wide. The person before me was beautiful. The hair was short and a deep plum purple. The eyes looked sharp and bright, their color almost white with a hint of blue. “My name is Tinthelle. This here is my sister, Minalith.” Gesturing their hand to each of them in turn. Minalith was completely different. Her hair was long and lilac, her eyes a gentle deep blue. Standing next to each other you could see they were different. Minalith wore a long elegant, silver dress with silver bracelets on her left wrist. Were-as Tinthelle wore a black shirt with loose sleeves, dark grey pants and a silver bracelets on their right hand. Even the cloaks were different in color. “Who is the leader here? I’d like to speak with them.” Kyumi stepped forward.

“I may not be the leader, but I know the most about this situation, you may speak with me elf.” Kyumi spat the last word out and I felt myself shoot my eyes up. I examined the ears and sure enough they had pointed ears, though their height itself should’ve given it away that they weren’t humans.

“Alright, I will speak with you.” Tinthelle stepped towards us and I couldn’t help but stare. “You, strange creature, I’d like to know how you saw my arrow.” And just like that Tinthelle and Kyumi went off to the side to talk. I felt myself flustered as everyone went off to do something.

“Don’t mind her.” Minalith was standing next to me, she sounded friendly compared to Tinthelle. “My sister’s not used to people seeing her attack, but I tried to tell her she was in the sunlight.” She sat on a stump near the edge of our camp.

“She? Tinthelle is a girl?!” I heard Flare call from across the camp.

“Oh, did you think I was a man!?” Tinthelle yelled back, everyone flinching. “Do I carry those characteristics?!” Standing now, I could see Kyumi trying to stop her from starting a fight.

“Please drop it, I need you to be paying attention to what I’m saying!” Kyumi finally got Tinthelle to sit back down to continue explaining the whole reason we were out here. Turning my attention back to Minalith, I could see she was smiling.

“She’s always been like that, don’t mind her.” Minalith giggled as if an old memory made its way to her mind.

“So does this mean we’re close to the elves?” I found myself asking the question, mentally hitting myself for asking something so stupid. She turned her attention to me, her head tilted to the side. Then she brought her hand touching the tip of my ear.

“I guess you really aren’t an elf then.” She spoke half to herself. “You don’t seem to be any creature I can recognise either.” Pulling her hand back, she stayed quiet. Before I could respond Tinthelle and Kyumi were on their way back. “Tinthelle! This creature is not an elf!” Minalith jumped up pointing at me. Confusion filling my head wondering why they thought I was an elf.

“No, it’s not, but they call him Amari.” Tinthelle now sounded calm. “The Fox-shifter says they’re trying to find out how to get him back to his proper place of living.” Minalith dropped her hand, glancing back at me now nervous about me. “They say he’s harmless, so don’t stress.” Tinthelle reassured her sister. They looked the same but they were so different from the other.

“Alright, that’s enough standing around. Let’s eat and go to bed.” Pearl called from the campfire, Phoenix was already digging in. We all gathered, eating our share of food. Our new members for the night, joining us as everyone relaxed, getting to know each other.

“So why did you attack?” I asked between bites of food. The elves looked at me for a moment before exchanging glances with the other.

“We thought you were one of us and that you were being attacked. That’s all.” Tinthelle spoke firmly but friendly. ‘One of them? So they figured I was an elf while I thought they were humans?’ “Don’t think too much about this, we just happened to see you on our way back.” She shut off any further questions while going back to eat.

“Back from what?” I felt the words slip out before I could even stop myself. A hand smacking my head right as I finished speaking. Looking over I saw Flare with his hand up, shaking his head, his eyes screaming idiot at me.

“It’s not bright is it?” Tinthelle commented to Minalith, who just looked at us. “If you must know we were hunting a bear that had been getting too close, but we lost it right before finding you.” Nobody reacted to what she said almost as if what we went through was worse than some bear.

Finally we planned who would watch first and settled off to bed. Closing my eyes, I heard rustling in the woods. Opening my eyes feeling startled, I could see a shadow moving at the edge of the clearing, wondering if it could be the bear they spoke of. The shape though looked like a familiar animal. ‘Spits?’ I could see the glow in the trees. ‘What’s Spits doing here?’ I focused on the deer, it’s body looking much more slender than Spits. The animal bowed its head, closing its eyes, this angle showing me that there was no spot for antlers. ‘It’s a female!’ She felt familiar, I watched her until she turned to leave, her tail a bright little blue flame. As she left I drifted into sleep, watching her tail slowly growing faint. The way it closed its eyes at me felt like the deer was saying goodbye. ‘Goodbye whoever you are.’

-----

“Open your eyes creature.” A sharp voice rang out around me. Deciding it was best to listen, I opened my eyes. To my surprise I was in a small sunny clearing, glancing around I could tell that nobody was here. “Over here! Hehe!” A now childlike voice called, strangely familiar. Turning to the direction of the voice, I could see the owner clearly.

“Kyumi?” The name escaped my lips, before I could think. “Kyumi, why are you in my dream?” But she stayed quiet for a moment, smiling.

“Ho? You know it’s a dream?” She sounded odd, her way of talking not in it’s usual manner. “Sorry to disappoint, but I am not the one you call Kyumi.” I felt more confused than ever. ‘Long lost sibling? Distorted dream reality?’ I stayed quiet, unsure of what to say. “I was going to continue using this form, yet you seem to get everyone attached. Which makes it hard to trick this group now.” Kyumi’s face began to distort as she fell to her hands and knees, her body stretching out behind her into a snake-like shape, her front turning into that of a reptilian cat. “Ah… That’s better.” I could feel my eyes grow wide with horror. “I cannot harm you in a dream, but you’ve made this difficult.” The voice sounded once again sharp. “I have tried to give you power, yet you refuse, only to seem to want that power again.” I could feel my knees grow weak. The voice and creature growing in front of me, towering above me. “Until you decide, I shall follow you in the shadows. In this world you are powerless. Just as you are in your world.” The creature sounded mad as I now sat on the ground.

“I just want to protect people, to help them. I don’t want power… If you are capable of giving away power, then give it to someone who properly deserves it, not to me.” I could feel tears flowing down my face.

“Is this what you wish?” The creature's voice was gentle now, almost like a mother. I nodded feeling as though this fight would finally be over.

“I just want to go home.” I said as I lifted my face to look at it. It’s gaze seemed annoyed but understanding.

“Then let it be so.” And with that the creature vanished.

-----

I could feel my eyes open slowly, to the light of a new day. Minalith was already up, sitting on the tree stump from the night before. Getting up from where I lay, I went to greet her. She glanced up at me, her eyes giving a reflection of sadness. Sitting next to her I could somehow feel her emotions.

“You lost a member to your party haven’t you?” Minalith whispered the words, almost seeming too scared to speak them. My heart sank just thinking of Ember. Minalith lifted a hand to rest it on my shoulder. “It’s alright, I’ll let you know something known to the elves but not to the rest.” She rubbed her thumb on my shoulder, as I glanced over to see the others slowly getting up. “Those who had a strong purpose, but who were taken away too young get a second chance.” I could feel myself grow confused  at her words.

“What do you mean?!” The voice of Flare rang out as he ran over. “Do you mean Ember will come back?!” He sounded frantic as he grabbed Minalith’s hand in his. The desperation clearly rang out as he spoke.

“Well, no, not exactly  as herself.” Minalith looked scared as the rest came around. “Are you to tell me none of you saw?” She looked around, almost disappointed.

“You mean the fire deer?” Kyumi chimed in, holding a fluffy Tiara. “I’m not quite sure what you could mean about it, my Aunt has a few.” She finished, her eyes showing confusion.

“Fire deer?” Minalith was now the one confused. “Oh you poor thing. The deer whose tail glows like a blue flame in the night, we call those Deer of the Dead.” Her voice growing hushed as she said those words.